Oilers send down Broberg and recall preseason standout
The Edmonton Oilers have sent defenceman Philip Broberg down to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.
This move comes just days after it was revealed that the 22-year-old Swede had demanded a trade out of Edmonton. The initial reporting seemed to say that the Oilers had granted Broberg and his agent permission to seek a trade. However, Oilers GM Ken Holland shot down those reports later, saying no such permission had been granted.
Broberg has been out of the Oilers lineup for the past five games.
š #Oilers roster moves š
š¹Defenceman Ben Gleason has been recalled from the @Condors
šøDefenceman Philip Broberg has been loaned to Bakersfield. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/rDQ3NWzzNS— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 7, 2023
In his place, the Oilers have called up defenceman Ben Gleason to the NHL club. The 25-year-old has only appeared in four NHL games to date, all of which came with the Dallas Stars during the 2018-19 season.
Gleason was an unexpected standout during preseason with the Oilers. He was among the last players cut from the roster after showing off a smooth transition game and pitching in with two assists in six preseason contests. If it weren’t for the Oilers trying to get Broberg up and running on the NHL roster, he most likely would have been on the team’s roster to start the season.
He didn’t let the late cut affect his game down in the AHL. Through 14 games with the Condors, he has scored two goals and nine points, which is tied for the team lead.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has not confirmed whether or not Gleason will be in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. The team is riding a five-game win streak at the moment, so it would not be a surprise if Gleason gets press-box duties for at least his first few games with the club.
Broberg, on the other hand, will be getting plenty of opportunities to play in the AHL, which are sure to benefit the young defender more than warming seats in the nosebleeds of Rogers Place.